Cashew Nougat Cookies Snowballs Recipes

CASHEW SNOWBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, beat the butter with ½ cup of the confectioners' sugar with hand mixer at medium speed until creamy.
• Add the vanilla extract.
• Slowly beat in the flour, roasted cashews and salt until well combined.
• Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and shape into 1" logs.
• Wrap logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least ½ hour.
• Cut 1" pieces off of the refrigerated logs, and roll into balls.
• Place balls about ¾" apart on parchment lined sheets (should be about 3 cookie sheets worth) Bake cookies in oven for about 20 minutes, or until golden.
• Fill a shallow bow or pie plate with 2 cups of confectioners' sugar.
• Immediately roll the hot cookies in the sugar to coat, a few at a time.
• Place on racks to cool.
• Once cookies are cooled, re-roll them again in confectioners' sugar, so coating looks nice and white and even!
• Cookies can be stored in airtight container for about 1 week, or frozen for up to one month.

THE PERFECT NEWFOUNDLAND SNOWBALLS RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, butter and milk. This mixture will foam up while boiling so a larger pot is recommended.)
• Boil together gently over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until mixture reaches about 225 -230 degrees F on a candy thermometer. (The 5 to 6 minutes cooking time is usually quite accurate for me but don't start timing it until the mixture is fully at a rolling boil and don't stir the mixture while it boils.) For the record, my latest batch took exactly 6 minutes at a rolling boil and it was perfect.
• Mix together the oats, 1 cup coconut and cocoa.
• Add the boiled mixture to the dry ingredients until well combined and chill well in the fridge, until mixture is able to be shaped into 1 1/2 inch balls. The mixture will be quite soft and sloppy while it is still hot. It will not firm up until it is very well chilled.
• In updating this recipe I prepared a batch and let it cool down to almost room temperature before covering the bowl and refrigerating overnight. The next day, as can be seen in one of the photos above, the mixture was very easy to scoop and roll into balls.
• Roll the balls in additional coconut.
• Makes about 4 dozen. These should ALWAYS be stored in the fridge to maintain the soft yet slightly chewy texture. They tend to be too soft at room temperature.
• These freeze very well (my kids eat them frozen all the time, just like my siblings and I did as kids)

CASHEW NOUGAT COOKIES (SNOWBALLS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine confectioners sugar and butter in mixing bowl. Blend on medium speed until creamy.
• Add in vanilla extract and then slowly beat in flour, salt and cashews until well blended.
• Separate dough into four equal parts. Roll into one inch diameter logs.
• Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a half an hour.
• Unwrap your dough and cut out one inch sections.
• Roll each by hand and place on parchment paper one inch apart.
• Bake for twenty minutes. Cookies are done when golden brown.
• Remove and immediately roll in bowl of confectioners sugar until well coated.
• Cool on wire rack and then roll in sugar again.
• Store or serve and enjoy!

SNOWBALLS II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cream the butter with 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar and the vanilla. Mix in the flour, pecans, and salt. Roll about 1 tablespoon or so of dough into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until bottoms are golden, about 15 minutes. Do not allow these cookies to get too brown: it's better to undercook them than to overcook them. While cookies are still hot, roll them in confectioners' sugar. Once they have cooled, roll them in confectioners' sugar once more.